I love this Terrapin. I have the SDB tape. It's my favorite Terrapin for sure. Magical. :)

This was NOT by any means a "best ever show" nor is it "late '60's or early '70's, like Dick's Picks!!" It's Alaska... 1980! A one time affair. Don't know if you are familiar with the West High auditorium... this was quite a treat for us!
I have only seen 171 other shows for comparison, but this run remains one of the most satisfying for me.
kenai

I have to admit I'm a bit stunned at all the "best ever" talk. 10 star show? Superlative Sugaree? Really? All I can think is that these reviews are from people who aren't too familiar with their really great stuff. Compared to Jerry at the top of his form, this is him taking a nap. I'm not saying it sucks; just saying it can't even come anywhere near to "best ever" or 10 stars. Seriously, get some shows from the late '60's and early '70's, like Dick's Picks Volume 8 for example, and really LISTEN to it. If you love this, that will blow the top of your head off.

********** 10 star show! Great audio and fantastic playing.

I usually don't rate songs, but I'm listening to the NON AUD version but if I try to type a review it will stop the song and I won't HAvE IT! :)
go get this one:
http://www.archive.org/details/gd80-06-21.sbd.clugston.8639.sbeok.shnf />ANYWAYS, as far as "best 'eveaaaaaa'..."??? I don't know about that, but Jerry must be enjoying his Persian tonight, because this Sugaree is off the F**KING CHARTS!!!!!!!
As far as the rest of the show I can't say much EXCEPT:
1) Best of the three show Alaska run (and the ONLY time the dead played in Alaska!)
and..
2) Go find "Dr Flashback" and OBEY his reviews- this man knows his stuff. Every show he rates as top 10 is a SHOULD HEAR and every show he rates as a top FIVE is a MUST HEAR! Just...check `em out.
I haven't listened to the whole show (YET) but Sugaree (minus the annoying AUD patch in the beginning,) is FOR THE AGES. Aside from that... classic.
Since it's all subjective and I RARELY hand out FIVE STARS (an exception to that rule is Pauley Pavilion (sp?) 1973- a TRUE five star show. This one? 3.8 so I round it to 4.... the Loser is UP THERE (not BEST EVER) but, hey, four stars is an ACCURATE review of this show and that's being slightly generous. I don't dish out 5 stars like candy... it isn't fair to the NEW HEADS trying to discern all this crap.
So four stars it is. A desert island show? Certainly NOT! But worthy of your attention? Definitely! Now go check out the SBD version (unless you're an AUD freak,) but either way the Sugaree picks up nicely between the 9 and 10 minute mark... I don't know, just check this sucka' out!
Peace.
-Jerryinapouch

I concur with the other reviewers. This is an outstanding show. I just love Jerry so much here its hard to put into words.

This show used to be discussed within the context of the Sugaree opener, either because of the odd slotting or because it was recommended. Or sometimes that this show/first set was a best-of-year. Or the run was a curiosity on tapelists and you'd request it for that reason (I had an AUD of this show so high-gen that I never listened all the way though. Rectified that!). And if you tried one of the shows you'd start with the Solstice, right? Well it DOES have one of the best first sets of the era, even if overall it's not quite at the level of the previous night. This was the farthest north they played (though not farthest west – that would be Honolulu '70). This high school auditorium holds just a couple thousand, and Anchorage is magical when the sun circles around you and pops up again, with sweet smells in the air, and these sweet renditions surrounding everybody's heads.
First Set. The Sugaree is oft-listed because Jer comes at it from a different angle and because he takes a couple extra measures. It's just fine, though not top 5 for '80 (like, say 9/2). Bent-note repeats are in every guitarist's quiver, but not in Jerry's wheelhouse. For Minglewood (these Alaska girls/for New York City), Jer lays a smoker in an otherwise clunky rendition. At this point the set stratos [stratosphere, stratovolcano]. Candyman is completely strong and they're way warmed up for Me & My Uncle – check how Jer keeps soloing into the next verse and gets a great fat tone, using more gain/overdrive than he usually did after '73. Going into Big River, he starts soloing immediately, leaving the band to keep up. It's reminiscent of 8/13/75. Loser is fucking nailed. For Lazy Lightning/Supplication, Jer is intense on the 16ths, machine-gun-attacking like he's angry with the song. And '80 was the year for great stand-alone versions of Feel Like a Stranger.
Second Set. Though not as whip-fire as the first, the set still has some highs – Samson for example – with Jer still right on top of it. Snap! Sane stradows Terrapin is the average '80, however there's a nice tranny into Playin'. But who's fucking around like a frat boy with a mic during Space? That and Truckin' (Chicago, New York, Alaska it's all the same street) mark the low point. The rest is well-executed, with interesting choices, like Sugar Mag with its neat, crashing chords/riffs/tones. Juneau where yr girlfriend's from? I dunno, Al aska.
1st Set:  A-
2nd Set: C
Overall = 3¾ stars
Highlights:
Candyman – this is how you do it
Me & My Uncle - when Jer gets busy...
Big River – almost exhausting to take this ride
Loser – up there with 5/6/80 & 6/7/80
Lazy Lightning/Supplication – better when it's this intense
Feel Like a Stranger - just about perfect '80 version
Samson & Delilah - Jer spitfire
SOURCES: Surprisingly many! There are three matrices, including a Seamons (runs too slow, try the Photoleon), and several AUDs (try 144908_nak700_severson). The miller_113302 is the SBD that plays at the correct pitch, and it's an improvement overall, with the patches now perfectly blended. Amazing job here, Charlie!
That's a funny story (below) about the taper that didn't want the tape to "get around". I met some real flaky tapers in the '80s who were overly concerned with who "gets to listen to the Dead" and who does not, like it makes your tape sound better if no one else hears the show. They sought to have control over the scene/band – anathema to the culture of trading. I never did figure it out, except that these cats were on a long strange ego trip; not on the bus but rather on the trailer the bus was pulling (and it was a flatbed). Excellent review by kochman (on miller_113302). BTW, on some other reviews, calling Anchoragites "Eskimos" (considered pejorative) is like assuming attendees at Canadian shows were all First Nations. Of native Alaskans, only a percentage are of the Eskimo nation (Iñupiat & Yupik), and most live hundreds of miles from Anchorage. Just sayin'.

about that stella blue...
What's not to like?

Mang, epic Sugaree, gnarly Minglewood, so far the best of the three night, by far. Satisfactory Loser, very solid, if not great, Lazy Lightning-Supplication. Far from me, Brent does a great job but not my favorite song so I only listened to the beginning - Brent has some range.
Fantastic Sugar Mag.

i had this on my iPod for weeks when I went hiking and/or walking around the city. Great for walking in the woods or rambling around art museums, I gotta say. Excellent Sugaree, Terrapin, Playing among others. For whatever reason this show resonated with me a lot more than other shows from this good year for the Dead. Brent breathed new life into the band and his playing on this show is excellent. Jerry really pushes himself, lots of fast noodles on Lazy Lightning. He's sometimes off but he's reaching and you gotta love that. The rest of the guys play throughout with a lot of sympathy. Nobody is particularly on fire, they're just really melding well together. They make this great music sound easy. There's an organic flow to the tunes that really works for me. Especially on Terrepin Station and Playing In The Band which are among the best versions the band has ever done.

This show is fantastic. I'm a die hard deadhead from '73. I saw them about 25 times in the northeast back then. If you like them from then, now listen to Sugaree, and Stella Blue from this show. What a terrific surprise from the band. This show is a one of a kind, as far as I can tell. The sound is unique. The whole concert is excellent. This one is on my hard drive. (Maybe I should listen to them more in this era.)

This was indeed a good show, but sorry, no where near 5 stars. No doubt it must have been a peak 5 star experience if you were one of the lucky few fortunate enough to personally attend this show, but unfortunately that magic can't be duplicated or experienced via a recording. Several previous reviewers have mentioned some of the show's highlights, but interestingly, though many on this site have no reservations about slamming Donna, no one mentioned Brent's Far From Me, which was actually painful to listen to. For the most part I really liked Brent (OK, so he wasn't Keith, but still . . .) but I'm sorry--all of his songs sounded out of place when played by the Dead. They would have sounded better (and probably been more appreciated) if played by a band like Journey or something. Just my $0.02.

One of my favorites. This show is no joke. I never knew the 80's were this good.
Thank you.

ALASKA/DEAD!! The most transcendental land for the most transcendental of bands! ALASKA, summer solstice, LIVE DEAD, 1980! If no magic is gonna come out of that mix....well, IT DOES!
This show always had a spot amongst my most valuable Maxells!! The SBD copy I had for years was always one of my best quality recordings and to me, one of their most unique shows---as much as the Egypt's, to me, PERSONALLY. If you have ever traveled through Alaska and the Yukon, extensively (especially in 1980!!) then you realize the stage that it is for so many unique,uncommon, natural wonders...for those NIT-PICKING this show in relation to their memories of how much better the RR Blues or Big River was in Nassau 1980 or whatever other generic, big city, 5 star EAST COAST venue---YOU ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE!!Great music!

oh my god i cant stress enoguh how awesoem this show is. if i had to make a list of the best shows. its tough to do. its impossible to do. but this show is simple. its the best one ive ever heard. theres just so many sounboards out there and i love that. but this show is just the best one ive ever heard number one. five stars. please please please listen to this show,. its ON FIRE. im gonna say it once more, this show is unfuckingbelievably awesome
so much here sounds great though. great setlist, and 1980 was such a great year.
as usual, the archive puts a smile on my face, i cant be thankful enough for the sbs provided by the dead.

Jerry delivers fiery solos in Minglewood, and does some interesting quiet-but-fast soloing on Lazy Lighting. A nice Terrapin, followed by a spacey (and interesting) Playing in the Band.
The final encore is Brokedown Palace, rare for this time. Between 1974 and 1979, they had only played it a dozen times (according to DeadBase). They started playing it with more frequency in the summer of 1980. This one is a good performance, complete with strong harmonies.

Wish I'd seen this one, and then walked out at midnight into the sun...please, someone who was there tell us how it was! Summer solstice in Alaska...oh baby, they sure could pick 'em.
Truly a classic show from the boys, all sorts of highlights, some wild moments in the Loser solo (sidenote: listen to how different that sounds on all the versions here...faskinatin'), nice LL/Supp, Terrapin, Playin'...but as for the best Sugaree ever, Lake Placid has to take the cake...10/17/83...if you haven't heard it, get
VERY ready and then crank it...Jer at his peak.
Speaking of peaking, sounds like the boys were all on various adventures this night in Alaska...one or two extra bears up there this night.
Just another great old Dead show....god bless the good old Archive.org!!!!!!
This is the best web site imaginable.

GREAT SHOW, SOUND QUALITY IS FANTASTIC

Impressive show - garcia emotional power very present.

This is one of my favorite shows ever. The Playin' is more trippy than usual and the Terrapin rocks, maybe the finest I've ever heard. The whale space is also interesting. Stella blue is spectacular and the guitar solo is absolute perfection. I don't understand why this hasn't been released commercially.

HOW COME NO ONE HAS MENTIONED THE TERRAPIN STATION, THE SONG IS PERFECTLY DONE. I AGGREE WITH ALL THE OTHER COMMENTS AS WELL, DEFININTLY A FIVE STAR SHOW ALL THE WAY AROUND!!!

I remember the first time I heard this, the guy who gave me the recording gave it to me on the condition that I "not let it get around" since it was a "private recording." Maybe thats what built the suspense up for me. The recording I got was a little fast but years later after I slowed it down to a proper speed, the Lazy Lightning/Supplication was still BLISTERING!
Everytime I hear all of the little notes sprinkling thru the solo It validates my opinion of Jerry as one of the great guitar players ever. When I stumbled onto this archive, this was the first thing I went after. This is the BEST Supplication ever (so far anyway...I haven't heard them all but I have heard many.) I remember the first time I played this for my good friend Larry R (Where are you these days Larry?) He was floored. I got exicted watching him be amazed. this is a must have show just for the LL/S.
The Sugaree as noted by others is one of the better ones I have heard. The Stranger is also a real treat.

There are some great cuts from this RR Blues, and some hot licks in Sugaree, LL>Supp but there are other shows from '80 far more deserving of 5 like Gainesville, Rochester, Glens Falls, Hartford, Third night of Nassau, etc. I never thought these shows reached the steller heights they could have and got this tape in '81.

The playing and the sound balance gets better as the show goes on. This is just an all around great show! 1980 was a strong year for the boys.
Stereo separation sounds great here!

No one had mentioned this in previous reviews, but the Playin' is amazing. Jerry is simply on fire. The noodles are plentiful (hit and miss because he's playing so damn fast) and his tone is melting. Not quite as insane as 11-30-80, but damn good.

OK, I agree, this show is must have, its really really really mindblowingly good, that being said I must add that the space jam has a section where someone is clearly flying with Aurora borealis, or maybe transcending there...moaning into the mike, sounds like Bobby tripping out, almost as good as the frozen logger in '85...a gazzillion degrees below zero, and we were tripping out.

but what do the other versions of this fantastic show sound like..?
I see a Bertha remaster and another link to another version (Gans..?) but I can't access it through the LLama..
Anyone know why

I like all three shows, but this is THE ONE! Sugaree is incredible and the boys never let the energy drop. This is a MUST have show.

A few flaws in the recording but a great performance.
"Chicago, New York, Alaska it's all on the same street"

This show is unbelieveable. The band is really tight and on fire. What an outpouring from Jerry, both instrumentally and vocally. I can't believe I lived without this show.

Top three Sugarees' of all time...epic.

Incredible, beautiful, under-rated.